In an effort to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, which brought hardship to many Nigerians, a not-for-profit organisation operating under the aegis of Victims Support Fund COVID-19 Taskforce (VSF) has donated food and medical items worth N150million, to the underprivileged residents of Calabar in Cross River State.
Chairperson of the organisation, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, stated that the initiative was to help in reducing the level of hunger and starvation and also solve the health challenges faced by the people occasioned by the pandemic.
At the handing-over of the food and medical items to selected civil society organisations (CSOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) at the premises of the Cross River State Roll Back Malaria Weigh House in Calabar, Akerele-Ogunsiji charged the leaders of the CSOs and CBOs, whom VSF is channeling the items to for onward distribution to the needy, to ensure that the items get to the persons who are in dire need of the consumables in 72 hours.
“The food items that you see today here are just a 50% of our entire cumulative donation to Cross River State.
“Behind me is 1,500 50kg bags each containing rice, beans, garri, vegetables oil and salt. This is because at VSF the nutritional value of our benefiaries is important.
“We have made our effort through our programme grant department to carefully select and assess the capacity of CSO partners who are going to be working with us in this project.
“We are confident and counting on them to ensure that the food items get to the people we intend to assist.
“We don’t want to see the VSF food items in private homes, offices or in the market stalls being sold
“VSF has incredible track record of integrity and accountability and responsibility of rapid response to issue of humanity.
“We are counting on you that by the end of 72 hours, all the food items would have been distributed and the data of benefiaries of all persons compiled with their phone numbers, their LGAs showing communities they reside returned to our grant partners as agreed,” she said.
Akerele-Ogunsiji stressed that each of the NGOs, CBOs and CSOs involved in the distruction would be receiving funds from VSF to enable them pay their programme officers, hire trucks to convey the food items for onward distruction to the LGAs.
“You would deliver the items within 72 hours, this food items worth about a hundred and fifty million naira,” she maintained.
Earlier, before distributing the food items, VSF commissioned motorised borehole projects in Okurike, Aguaguna village in Biase LGA of the State and other two mini water scheme projects in Yache village in Yala LGA and in Ekureke village, Abi LGA of the State.
